Kickoff Primer: An instant guide to the 2016 Houston Texans
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Houston Texans
| 2015 Record | 2015 Finish |
|---|---|
| 9-7 | Lost in wild card round |
Coaching staff
Head coach: Bill O'Brien
Offensive coordinator: George Godsey
Defensive coordinator: Romeo Crennel
Key additions
- QB Brock Osweiler
- RB Lamar Miller
- WR Will Fuller (1st round)
- G Jeff Allen
- C Nick Martin (2nd round)
- WR Braxton Miller (3rd round)
- DT Devon Still
Key departures
- RB Arian Foster
- QB Brian Hoyer
- G Brandon Brooks
- WR Cecil Shorts III
- S Antonio Allen
- DE Jared Crick
- C Ben Jones
- S Rahim Moore
- WR Nate Washington
Preseason power ranking - No. 12
Star receiver? Check. Healthy running back? Check. Top-five defense? Check. Franchise quarterback? TBD. More...
Projected starting lineup
| Position | Starter |
|---|---|
| WR | DeAndre Hopkins |
| WR | Jaelen Strong |
| WR | Will Fuller |
| LT | Duane Brown |
| LG | Xavier Su'a-Filo |
| C | Nick Martin (R) |
| RG | Jeff Allen |
| RT | Derek Newton |
| TE | C.J. Fiedorowicz |
| QB | Brock Osweiler |
| RB | Lamar Miller |
| Position | Starter |
|---|---|
| DE | J.J. Watt |
| NT | Vince Wilfork |
| DE | Devon Still |
| OLB | Whitney Mercilus |
| ILB | Brian Cushing |
| ILB | Benardrick McKinney |
| OLB | Jadeveon Clowney |
| CB | Kareem Jackson |
| S | Quintin Demps |
| S | Andre Hal |
| CB | Johnathan Joseph |
Questions to Answer
- Is Osweiler the answer at quarterback?
- Can Miller replace Foster's production?
- How much will Watt be affected by his injury?
Best-case scenario
The Texans appear to have all the pieces required to make a Super Bowl run, but there are a lot of questions to be answered. If Osweiler turns out to be the franchise quarterback O'Brien has been waiting for, he has the weapons to produce a top-five offense. A quick recovery from Watt, along with a healthy Clowney, would put fear in the hearts of any opposing quarterback. The Texans should expect to repeat as division champs and take as many as 12 wins this season en route to a conference championship appearance.
Worst-case scenario
If a handful of things go wrong, the Texans could have a reckless implosion of a season. Osweiler has the potential to be the reincarnation of Ryan Mallett, only with a lot more money. The defense has heavily relied on Watt's dominance in the past and it's highly unlikely the reigning defensive player of the year will wait until he's fully ready to get back on the field. If Watt isn't himself after the surgery and Clowney continues his injury-prone trend, the defense is in a lot of trouble. Things could spiral out of control and land the Texans with a 5-11 record, a lot of wasted money, and a fired coaching staff by season's end.